Liverpool return home for the first of three-straight games at Anfield on Saturday evening when they host Sheffield United. Since the international break, the Reds have played well, out-performing Everton in the derby, but very unlucky to not earn all three points.
Then, in their Champions League opener, they went into Amsterdam and got a clean sheet at Ajax with a makeshift center-back pairing and midfield. Those are positive signs heading into Saturday’s match against Sheffield. The Blades are only 19th in the table after five matches. (For the Liverpool starting XI prediction go here)
Injury News
Liverpool will have some of their key injured players back against the Blades. Thiago missed against Ajax after getting crunched by Richarlison in the derby, but is close to returning. Jurgen Klopp called him “day by day” in his press conference on Friday, and the Spanish midfielder will be a late fitness test.
It’s a similar situation with Joel Matip.
He played 90 minutes against Everton in his return from a muscle issue, but missed Wednesday’s game with a slight muscle issue. With Virgil Van Dijk already out, Liverpool will play it cautious with Matip as they are already short on centerbacks.
Liverpool will however have Naby Keita available, after his bout with coronavirus.
Alisson is also really close to returning to the line-up. The Brazilian keeper suffered a shoulder injury, but has been back in training. He is in a group with Thiago and Matip that Klopp called “close,” so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him back sooner rather than later.
Virgil Van Dijk, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kostas Tsimikas are all out long term for Liverpool.
Brewster Return
Saturday will feature the return of Rhian Brewster after Liverpool sold the youngster to Sheffield at the deadline.
The talented forward has not started yet for the Blades, but is in contention to Saturday.
Brewster is highly rated by the Liverpool staff, and they included a buy-back clause in his sale.
“We all know him very well and that’s the problem – we know how good he is! That’s the situation,” Klopp said of Brewster in his pre-match press conference.
“How always when a boy, especially like Rhian who is really our boy – OK, maybe I have to say ‘used to be our boy’ – but still, we feel that way, it means always I wish them really the nearly perfect Premier League season.
“That means – OK, he couldn’t have played 36 games, but if – then 36 world-class games and two days off pretty much and that’s always the games when we play them. And I hope for this day. But I’m not sure that will happen.”
Betting News
Liverpool are heavy favorites over at Betway, receiving just 13/50 odds on a win. Odds on a draw are 5/1 and odds on a Sheffield United win are 9.5/1.